1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a press-fit type connector terminal to be inserted into an electrically conductive through-hole formed through a printed circuit board, a method of fabricating the same, and a single elastic metal sheet of which the press-fit type connector terminal is fabricated.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 15 illustrates a conventional press-fit type connector terminal having been suggested in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-65543.
The conventional press-fit type connector terminal illustrated in FIG. 15 is fabricated by bending a single elastic metal sheet 10x illustrated in FIG. 14. As illustrated in FIG. 15, the press-fit type connector terminal includes a pin section llx having a U-shaped cross-section, a central shaft section 12x extending from an end of the pin section 11x, a contact section 14x including a plurality of contact pieces 13x, and a pair of C-shaped binders 15x and 16x each binding the contact pieces 13x at their upper and lower ends and surrounding the central shaft section 12x. Each of the contact pieces 13x is centrally bent into a shape “<”. The contact pieces 13x extend in a longitudinal direction L of the central shaft section 12x, and are bent to outwardly project such that the contact pieces 13x surround the central shaft section 12x. 
Since the contact section 14x is inserted into an electrically conductive through-hole formed through a printed circuit board, the contact section 14x is designed to have a quite small diameter. Specifically, the contact section 14x has a diameter of about 1.7 mm. Furthermore, a through-hole of a printed circuit board is considered to be designed smaller and smaller in the future, and accordingly, the contact section 14x will be required to have a smaller diameter.
The press-fit type connector terminal illustrated in FIG. 15 is fabricated by punching and bending the single metal sheet 10x illustrated in FIG. 14. However, if the metal sheet 10x had a thickness of about 0.4 mm, it is quite difficult to bend a portion of the metal sheet 10x into the C-shaped arcuate binders 15x and 16x surrounding the central shaft portion 12x therewith.